1
Strengthen a claim
Add evidence that makes an argument more convincing.
Example
The newly recovered letters bolster the argument that the writers influenced one another.
bolster
/ˈbəʊlstə/ · BOHL-stuhverb
To support, strengthen, or reinforce.
Use bolster when evidence, resources, or action makes a claim, institution, confidence, or position stronger.
What bolster Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Increase confidence
Make trust in a result, person, or system stronger.
Example
Independent evidence bolstered confidence in the model.
3
Support an institution
Provide resources or assistance that improves stability or effectiveness.
Example
The grant bolstered the archive's preservation programme.
Use bolster Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
Independent evidence bolstered confidence in the model.
The second experiment bolstered the researchers' original conclusion.
Additional staffing helped bolster the clinic's capacity.
Precision Matters
Bolster overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
bolster
vs.Often implies adding strength to something already present.
support
Is the broad term for assisting or providing evidence.
bolster
vs.Can strengthen institutions, confidence, or claims.
corroborate
Specifically confirms a statement with additional evidence.
bolster
vs.Makes a position stronger without necessarily proving it sound.
validate
Establishes that a method, result, or claim is valid.
bolster
vs.Strengthens support or confidence.
undermine
Weakens support or confidence—the contrast.
Test bolster in Context
The additional evidence strengthens the historian's argument.
1
Three newly catalogued letters describe the same exchange of ideas, helping to ___ the historian's claim that the two writers influenced one another.